What Are the Causes of Wilted Tomato Plants?

Wilted tomato plants may not produce tomatoes.

Tomato plants are garden plants that are highly susceptible to environmental changes, diseases and pest problems that can cause them to become wilted and weak. Keep the growing environment of tomato plants healthy to avoid problems with wilt and low production of tomatoes at the end of the growing season.

Sunlight

The amount of sunlight a tomato plant receives keeps it healthy, but can also cause it to wilt. Most tomatoes require some direct sunlight to grow, but some tomato plants are susceptible to sun scorch or sunburn if grown in direct sunlight and high temperatures. Plant an individual tomato plant cultivar where it receives the required amount of sunlight to avoid problems with leaf and tomato damage during the hottest part of the day and the growing season.

Water

Water tomato plants regularly to keep them healthy and prevent problems; a lack of water dehydrates the tomato plant, causing its leaves to wilt and become brown. Excess water can also cause wilt if tomato plants are subjected to standing water or saturated soil. Make sure the soil drains water easily to prevent problems with too much water or standing water. Water tomato plants at least once a week to keep them healthy.

Pests and Diseases

A variety of pests and diseases cause tomato plants to wilt; according to the University of Illinois Extension, tomato hornworms and verticilium and fusarium wilts cause tomato plants to wilt and die. Tomato hornworms can be controlled with pesticides and physical removal of the worms. Apply fungicides to the tomato plant to control verticilium or fusarium wilt and prevent further damage to the tomato plants. Pinch off severely affected and dead leaves.

Staking

Tomato plants need to be trained or staked to grow properly. Supply each tomato plant with a stake or support system early in the spring to hold up the plant. As the tomato plant produces tomatoes, the weight on the vines increases, causing plants without stakes to droop and wilt; this can damage the harvest and lead to problems with early fruit drop and damage to the plants themselves.

References

• University of Illinois Extension: Tomato
• Colorado State University Extension; Recognizing Tomato Problems; B. Edmunds and L. Pottorff; May 2009

Resources

• University of Missouri Extension: Growing Home Garden Tomatoes